On the not-so-sunny-side by Henry Wiebe

Gambling Addiction

I am aware that this perspective may anger some people, but consider the following.

“I was a liar, a cheat and a thief. I “borrowed” $80,000 from 8 bank accounts I controlled, only one of which was mine. I’d work all night running a charity casino at a local hotel, then at 5 a.m. take the thousands of dollars in proceeds to the 24 hour real casino, hoping to win back the thousands I had already lost. Twenty-eight hours later, I would be another $10,000 in debt.” Quote by Doug Little, as
confessed in the Feb., 2000 Readers’ Digest article.

On Oct. 22, 1996, he threw his final $500 onto the roulette tables and slot machines and walked out to face the fact that he was addicted to gambling. His two-year gambling binge cost him his family, home, job, reputation and a 12-month conditional sentence. Doug claims he has not gambled since then.
Gambling is a revenue source for government but a severe drain on many citizens.

It is a target for money laundering and attracts the attention of an undesirable element in society.
The jobs it creates are mostly jobs lost to healthier, more legitimate entertainment enterprises since the business goes to the casinos.

It promotes an expectation to put in a little and get out a lot, which is a faulty philosophy of life. Millions are losers every time one person wins big.

Advertisements present it as an exciting, fun-filled passtime in support of ‘good causes’ but it creates many devastating consequences. False advertising. It is heavily dependent on funds spent that robs families of necessities. This enterprise and others are trapping people into destructive snares.
Let’s put our energies and finances into healthier pursuits.